Progress in stability analysis of submarine slopes considering dissociation of gas hydrates

Abstract

Gas hydrates have the potential to be a new energy source and a submarine geohazard. Though researchers generally agree about the association between gas hydrate dissociation and submarine slope failures, the processes and mechanism of submarine slope failure caused by gas hydrate dissociation are not clearly understood. In the last few years, some authors have tried to analyse submarine slope stability by considering the existence and dissociation of gas hydrate, and a few researchers have presented quantitative models. This paper presents a review of the various causes of submarine slope failures associated with gas hydrate dissociation. Also, analysis models of submarine slope stability associated with gas hydrate dissociation that are documented from the literatures including the infinite slope model, wedge model, slump and retrogressive failure model are interpreted and illustrated, respectively.